Crypto News Today: Bitcoin Holds Near $118K as Ether and Altcoins Lead Risk-On Crypto Rally

Key Takeaways:Bitcoin steadies near $118,300 as ETH and altcoins outperform on risk-on sentiment.Ether jumped 8% and is up 20% in 7 days, with traders eyeing a breakout to new highs.Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded their 10th straight day of inflows, led by $763M into BlackRock's IBIT.A weakening dollar and cooling U.S. inflation are boosting appetite for digital assets.Analysts remain divided on Bitcoin’s momentum, with $150K in play if macro tailwinds hold.Bitcoin (BTC) remained firm near $118,300 on Wednesday, gaining 6.6% for the week, as crypto markets turned broadly risk-on following cooler-than-expected U.S. CPI data and another wave of ETF inflows.However, the spotlight is increasingly shifting toward Ether (ETH) and altcoins, as ETH surged 8.1% to over $3,560 — its strongest single-day move since March — and now leads major tokens in weekly performance.ETF Inflows Persist, But Market Rotation EmergesU.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs posted their tenth consecutive day of net inflows, attracting $799 million on Wednesday. BlackRock’s IBIT dominated once again, with $763 million in fresh capital.Despite the strong inflow data, Bitcoin’s price movement remained muted, rising just 0.4% on the day, signaling a potential short-term plateau as traders begin to rotate into faster-moving assets.ETH, meanwhile, held above $3,340, with a 20.5% gain over 7 days.Altcoins Break Out as BTC Dominance SlipsAltcoins broadly outperformed BTC in the last 24 hours:XRP: Up 6.4% to $3.09, 27% gain in 7 daysSolana (SOL): +5% to $170Dogecoin (DOGE): +6%, trading at $0.212BNB Coin: +3% to $708TRON (TRX): +3.7% to $0.31The rally underscores shifting market leadership amid falling BTC dominance, which could open the door to a deeper altseason if capital rotation continues.Macro Tailwinds: CPI Cooldown and DXY DropThe cooling U.S. CPI print helped ease investor nerves, strengthening the case for Fed rate cuts later this year — a scenario that typically benefits risk assets.Traditional markets responded accordingly:Gold edged higherAsian equities dipped as traders reassessed Fed timingU.S. equities showed mild weakness amid tariff uncertaintyMeanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) is down nearly 10% year-to-date, providing broad support to crypto and other risk-on assets.Outlook: Traders Split Between Momentum and PauseDespite strong ETF inflows, analysts are split on what’s next for BTC.In a market note, QCP Capital said Bitcoin’s rally stalled after topping $120,000, with new support developing between $114,000 and $118,000. They flagged seasonal slowdowns and equity fatigue as possible headwinds.However, Bitget’s Ryan Lee remained bullish:“The road to $150,000 by Q3 looks increasingly plausible, powered by ETF inflows, supply constraints, and macro tailwinds like a weakening dollar and potential Fed cuts.”